CVE-2022-34393
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedDell BIOS contains an improper input validation vulnerability. A local authenticated malicious user may potentially exploit this vulnerability by using an SMI to gain arbitrary code execution in SMRAM.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceDell BIOS contains an improper input validation vulnerability where a local authenticated attacker can exploit it via a System Management Interrupt (SMI) to achieve arbitrary code execution in SMRAM (System Management RAM), which is protected memory used by the BIOS in System Management Mode.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data< 1.12.1< 2.17.0< 1.5.0< 1.5.0< 1.5.0< 1.9.1< 1.9.1< 1.8.0CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- High
- Privileges
- High
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Changed
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify the Dell system modelRun 'dmidecode -s system-product-name' or check the system label/documentation to confirm the exact model numberAffected if The model is NOT one of: Dell G5 Se 5505, Dell Inspiron 27 7775, Dell Inspiron 3180, Dell Inspiron 3185, Dell Inspiron 3195 2 In 1, Dell Inspiron 3275, Dell Inspiron 3475, or Dell Inspiron 3505 (these are the only affected models)
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Determine the installed BIOS/firmware versionRun 'dmidecode -s bios-version' to retrieve the current BIOS firmware version, or access the BIOS setup screen and locate the BIOS version information under the Main or Information tabAffected if Unable to retrieve the BIOS version using standard system information tools or BIOS access is restricted
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Compare the firmware version against affected rangesCross-reference the retrieved version number with the vulnerable thresholds: G5 Se 5505 < 1.12.1, Inspiron 27 7775 < 2.17.0, Inspiron 3180/3185/3195 < 1.5.0, Inspiron 3275/3475 < 1.9.1, Inspiron 3505 < 1.8.0Affected if The installed firmware version is lower than the specified threshold for the detected model, indicating the system is vulnerable
A system is affected if it is one of the eight listed Dell models AND its BIOS firmware version is below the version threshold specified for that model.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
dbcve · scoped1.5.01.8.01.9.1
Apply the Dell BIOS/firmware update provided by Dell for affected systems. Organizations should prioritize patching systems with elevated privileges or exposure, as successful exploitation allows code execution in the highly privileged SMM.
Upgrade to BIOS firmware version 1.12.1 (G5 Se 5505), 2.17.0 (Inspiron 27 7775), 1.5.0 (Inspiron 3180/3185/3195), 1.9.1 (Inspiron 3275/3475), or 1.8.0 (Inspiron 3505) as applicable to your specific model
- 1. Identify the exact Dell system model by checking the system label or running 'dmidecode -s system-product-name'
- 2. Visit Dell's support website at www.dell.com and navigate to the drivers and downloads section for your specific model
- 3. Locate the BIOS/firmware update corresponding to your system: G5 Se 5505 requires version 1.12.1, Inspiron 27 7775 requires version 2.17.0, Inspiron 3180/3185/3195 2 In 1 require version 1.5.0, Inspiron 3275/3475 require version 1.9.1, Inspiron 3505 requires version 1.8.0
- 4. Download the BIOS update file from Dell's official support page
- 5. Run the BIOS update executable or use Dell's BIOS update utility (e.g., Dell Update Package)
- 6. Follow the on-screen instructions and ensure the system is connected to AC power; do not interrupt the update process
- 7. Allow the system to reboot and complete the BIOS flashing process
- 8. After reboot, verify the BIOS version has been updated by checking via 'dmidecode -s bios-version' or through the BIOS setup utility
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
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Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2022-34393 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2022-34393 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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